Matrox cards have been known for their very high quality analog VGA output. This is not so true when using digital DVI output. The Matrox cards are generally quite slow in comparison to ATI and nVidia cards.

Personally, I would get a midrange to nVidia card (9000 series or higher) just to be able to take advantage of CUDA technology if you have (or will have) software that supports it. (Vegas doesn't, at least not yet.)

Magic Bullet will take advantage of certain video cards but the list is limited so check it if you have this app.

Mike

Unfortunately, Vegas doesn't take advantage of video card acceleration (though some NLEs do). There are applications that do use CUDA technology so that's something you may want to consider when purchasing a video card. Here's a list of NVIDIA CUDA compatible cards:

http://www.nvidia.com/object/cuda_learn_products.html

I have and ATI card and an NVidia 8800 and use secondary monitor at 1920x1080. I had a problem with the ATI card in that it would not display at full resolution. It was alway soft as if it was in preview half mode. I switched to the NVidia and that works fine at full resolution. So at least in my case the card made a difference.

I've never had an ATI card that didn't have some little annoying bug. Never had an issue with any nVidia card.

I've never had an issue with ATI cards, just nividia. :p

For display nothing will be better over one. An onboard chipset will do just dandy.

Hello Lars,
I have the 1 GB GTS 240 - the cheapest option for this machine - but is also designed for gaming and dual displays ... I love it so far - it just arrived on MON - but I can tell the clarity is amazingly superior to the same monitors on my old computer. The text is crisp - and the HD video is truly spectacular...
I am very surprised at the difference this card makes with the same monitors I used on the old computer ... they are Dell monitors a 1901 and a1905...
For me, the gaming cards should work circles around a simple card designed for email and word processing, no?

I'm satisfied with my choice of this machine and this card...

Perhaps it is a placebo effect . . . I just think the video should look better with a dedicated card and newer, faster machine - so it appears that way to me... (grin)
I have no access to the real pixel and luminance figures - but I'm not that concerned; I like the look of the new machine and card - it is miles ahead of the old machine with the same monitors; so I'm tickled pink ... well, okay maybe not pink ... but perhaps a deeper shade of beige... (grin)

Until that time... Earl J.